Machine for cutting boot and shoe soles



C. H. GRIFFIN. SOLE GUTTING MACHINE.

No. 30,520.. Patented Oct. 23,' 1860.

lf/l essfas'.

flu/anion UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

CALEB H. GRIFFIN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO VALTER D. RICHARDS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BOOT AND SHOE SOLES.

Specification of Letters Patent N o. 30,520, `dated October 23, 1860.

T o @ZZ whom itmay concern:

Be it knownthat I, CALEB H. GRIFFIN, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a cert-ain new and useful Improvement in Die Cutting- Machines for Cutting Out `Soles for Boots and Shoes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making part of this specification, in whichd Figure l represents a `front elevation of a machine, having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, an elevation of one side; Fig. 8, a similar view of the other side, with a portion of the connecting rod broken off; Figs, a rear elevation of the same, with the apron removed; F ig. 5, a vertical section of the salne, taken through the line of Fig. a.

My invention relates to a new and improved mode of cutting out the heel and toc of soles for boots and shoes from the same side of a strip of leather alternately, in a die cutting machine.

To enable othersskilled in the art, to

. make construct and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe it in detail.

In theaccompanying drawing the working mechanism is represented as being mounted on a frame work, consisting of two sides (A) `connected together, at the top and bottom, by means of cross beams or rails (B) and feed table (C). On these two sides is mounted in suitable bearings (a) a driving shaft (D) carrying a fly wheel qWhen driven by a treadle, the driving shaft (D) is provided with a crank (Z2) to which is attached, in any suitable` manner, one end of a connecting rod (c) the other end of which is attached to a treadle (CZ) `mounted on thelower rear cross beam But, when the machine is intendedto be driven bysome prime motor, one end of the drivf ing shaft (D) is prolonged to a suiicient distance to afford room for a driving pulley by means of which motion can be communicated to the machinery. i

i On either end of the driving shaft `and on the outside of the sides (A) of the frame, .is mounteda small gear wheel (e) `which meshes in another larger gear whe-el mounted on studs (g) secured to the frame of the machine by means ofaV screw-bolt (7L), the gears being countersunk to accommodate the head of the screw bolts (7b). .On each` of theselarger gears i (f) Vandren their outer side are secured studs (j),.eachbeing arranged at the same relative distance from the center of the gear. Onone of `these gears is mounted the end of one connecting rod (R) the other end4 of which ismounted on` a stud (1) secured to the. pressure beam (F). yOnthe studofvthe other gear are mounted `the ends of two connectingrods (1) and G) the other end of tlierod,(P,) being mount-ed on a stud (In) `secured to the other end ofthe `pressure beam a (F.) while the other end of the connecting rod (G) a is mounted on a stud `(5) `secured to a disk (Z) having an intermittent rotary reciprocating motion upon a stud (m) made fast in the side of the frame of the machine. On the same stud (m) is mounted` a gear `wheel (H) on the side ofwhich is formed .a ring (I) in theedge of which four notches (n) arelcut into which successively a` spring catch (o) takes, when brought by the action of the reciprocating disk, (Z) `in a line with the notch; the spring catch (o) works in and is guided by .a slot (14) cut in the disk (Z) so that, when engaged witheither ofthe notches cut in thel ring v (I) iandlthe gear wheel (H) and motion communicated to the disk (Z) through the connecting rod (G) it willcausc the gear wheel (H) to rotate one quarter of a `revolution which in turn imparts motion to thepinion i with which it meshes. `T his pinion ,is mounted onta shaft (72) which forms the axis ofthe rotating cutters or dies (J New, as the pinion (R) is onlyhalf thesize of the gear wheel (H), it will, for every. quarter ofrevelution of the latter, bemade toperform a half revolution, thus present-ing one `oft-he die cutters (g) (there being two) alternately to eut out a sole for eachiquarter revolution of the gear wheel (H) and for each revolution of the largeigear wheel (f) so thatevery time one of the die cutters is1 presented in a horizontal planeby the action above described of the crank disk (Z) and spring catch (o) on the gear wheel (H) and the latter on the pinion i (R) the `pressure bar (F) through the connectingrods (Pand P) will `be caused to descend with such pressure on the die cutters aste cause the latter to cut such leather, `as may have `been interposed between them,iinto soles, the die bloclqfor this purpose, being retained during the descent of the pressure-'br` '(F) its Proper relative position with'V rspectt'o' the pressure bar by means 'of a stop bolt (K), arranged on the opposite side of the machine in such manner as to be made to engage with one of two notches (r) cut in a disk (Q) secured to the opposite end of the die block shaft (p) where it is held by means of a cam (s) formed on the inner side of the gear wheel (f). j As soon, however, as the sole has been cut out, the stop bolt (K) is withdrawn from the notch (r) by means of the cam on the wheel (f) which acting on the lower end of the slide bolt (K) withdraws it from the notch (r) releasing the die or cutter block (J), which is then ready to be acted upon to bring the other die uppermost to cut out the next sole, the two sets of dies or cutters being so arranged as that the one, when used will out out the toe on one side, while the other cuts it out on the other side, that is to say, cutting out the soles with the heel and toe on the same side of the strip of leather alternately. It may be here remarked that inasmuch as there are two sets of dies or cutters and each presented alternately the disk (Q) is provided with two notches (1) one for each, into which the stop bolt (K) is projected in order to retain them in their proper position, until the sole has been cut Vout.V In like manner, there would be. four notches, were there four dies or cutters used and so on with any number of pairs of cutters. It may also be observed that instead of Va stop bolt operated by means of Y, cams, a spring stop bolt properly arranged,

constructed and operated may be sustained in its place.

I will now describe the operation of the disk (Z) spring catch ,(0) and gear wheel (H). The ring (I) formed on the outside of the gear wheel (H) is provided with four notches cut at regular intervals apart into which the spring catch (0) when brought into a line with them takes, when once engaged and which takes place when the connecting rod (G) is at the full length of its downward stroke and about the time that it commences its upward stroke, (its upper end being'so -mounted on the disk that the'latter cannot be made to make a full revolution) the connecting rod (Gr) then causes the disk (Z) to perform a quarter revolution, and, as the spring catch (o) is engaged at once with it and with the notch (n) of the ring (I) of the gear wheel (H), it carries with it the gear wheel (H) causing it also to perform a quarter revolution which, in turn, causes the pinion (It), it being only half the size, to perform a half revolution. Now, as the disk (Z) in its upward revolution, carries with it the spring catch (o) the latter is brought in contact with the lower side of a hook or finger (u) that side of the machine, for which purpose the slide (L) is pivoted to or connected by hinged joints to two Acurved links (w) one end of the last of which is pivoted to the side frame of the machine, there being on the lower link a curved elevation (m) formed on which the cam (c) acts, for the purpose of depressing the slide (L) with the hook (u).

As the hook is depressed, it disengages the spring catch (o) fromthe notch (n) in the ring (I) of the gear wheel (H) thus leaving the disk (Z) free to be again drawn to its original position-by the descent'of the connecting rod (Gr), the spring catch (o) being retained in its retracted position during the descent of the disk (Z) by the action of the inner periphery of the ring (I) until it has been brought opposite another one of the notches cut in the ring (I) and so on operating in the manner just above described for every revolution of the gear wheel (f). Various other devices for effecting the same object could be described, but as they would not alter the principle of operation or modus operandi of the machine, it is not deemed necessary so to do.

A great advantage is derivedA by this mode of operating the cutters Vas in their operation, they are made the means of discharging the sole after it is cut upon the guide apron (M) thus, thereby preventing mutilation of the sole, after it has been cut out, a thing of frequent occurrence in other machines kfor the want of effective means to insure their discharge.V Another great-advantage, in this machine, arises from the-fact that, during the operation of cutting, the knives themselves remain stationary, the necessary pressureY for this purpose being exerted YbyV an independent agent which insures regularity of cut and prevents the dulling of the knives from twisting, strains, &c.

In operating the machine, the leather cut in strips of the proper width is fed up to the knives on the table (C) and if arrested by means of gages (y) adjusted to the proper width of the soles required to be cut. These guides (or gages) (y) are secured to a swinging frame (a) pivoted to the two sides of the machine. On one of the pendent arms (i) of this frame is formed a small arm (3) which bears against the pressure bar (F) while it ascends and descends to perform its part of the operation in cutting out the sole, the weight of the frame (z) causing it, the arm (3,) to bear against the pressure bar. This arm is made of the proper curve to allow the gages (y) and their frame to descend while the pressure bar ascends to regu.-

late the Width of the neXt sole to be cut, the leather, for this purpose, being fed up until it is made to abut against the ends of the gages (y) the gages and frame, as the pressure bar descends, being forced outward, by the action of the pressure bar on the curved arm of their frame and kept there until the cutter block has been made to revolve and discharge the cut sole upon the conducting apron.

The peculiar construction of the die and the spring that forces the sole out of the die after it has been cut, it is here unnecessary to describe as they may be made in any known suitable manner. Nor is it necessary particularly to describe the pressure block and the manner in which it is at tached to the pressure bar further than to say that it is made of a size and shape suitable for the purposes for Which it Was intended and capable of being removed to be renewed and, if necessary, adjustable to compensate for the Wear of its surface on the knives. Nor is it scarcely necessary to remark that the die cutters are also so constructed as to be capable of being removed for the purpose of adapting different sizes to cut out diiferent size soles. It may, however, be remarked that the gages for regulating the Width of the soles are capable either of lateral or endwise adjustment. These various devices could be modified in different Wa s, but as that Would not, in any Way, a ect the principle of the operation of the machine, it is deemed here unnecessary to describe them, as such will readily suggest themselves to any good mechanic, nor are such changes deemed unprotected by this patent.

I claiml. The combination of the traveling pressure bar (F) and block With the rotating die block (J) and dies (g), when such are held stationary during the operation of cutting, substantially as described.

2. The stop bolt (K) as operated and notched disk (Q) or their or either of their equivalents, in combination with the rotary die block (J) for the purpose described.

3. The Within described combination of the disk (Z) spring catch (0) and notched ring gear Wheel (H), as operated, or their or either of their equivalents, with the rotary die block (J) and its pinion (It) and shaft (p) for the purpose set forth.

it. The gages (y) as arranged, constructed and operated for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand to this specification.

C. H. GRIFFIN.

Vitnesses:

S. EDWIN IRWIN, E. B. FOSTER, Jr. 

